Football agents, now called Intermediaries, in Nigeria, under the umbrella body, Football Intermediaries Association of Nigeria, FIAN, are set to announce themselves to the world when they host a Football Summit and their Annual General Meeting this weekend.
FIAN is inviting football enthusiasts to their National Football Summit with the theme: Best International Practices In Approaching Football Business. The summit will have in attendance officials of the Nigeria Football Federation, N.F.F, the National Association Of Nigerian Footballers, NANF, sports lawyers, officials of the European Football Agents Association, E.F.A.A and representatives of the Embassies of Norway and Denmark in Nigeria.
The event is billed to take place at the Four Point By Sheraton hotel at the Oniru Chieftaincy Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos on Friday, April 5th, 2019.
Some of the keynote speeches and discussion topics on the day include; FIAN and EFAA Partnership, Benefits and Modalities, to be delivered by Mr. Allison Hatch, who is Policy and Communication Assistant at the E.F.A.A,
The Plight Of Nigerian Professional Footballers In The Nigeria Domestic Leagues Without Working With An Intermediary, which will be given by Mr. Austin Popo, General Secretary of NANF.
Issues surrounding human trafficking using football; the life and psychological wellbeing of footballers after retirement and opportunities and challenges in the football industry in Nigeria will also be brought to the fore.
Mr. Ayodele Thomas is the Chairman of the Planning Committee of the FIAN Football Summit and A.G.M.
He speaks further on the two-day event, which will culminate in the agents’ body electing officers to run the association:
“I believe the Football Summit will go a long way in addressing some of the problems facing the business of football in Nigeria. The football business has at its roots the footballers themselves and how footballers in Nigeria can best maximise their career potentials will be discussed.
“With great help from the FIAN Acting EXCO, my team has been able to put together an event which will leave all participants and attendees convinced that as Football Intermediaries, we want to change Nigerian football for the better.
“After the Football Summit on the 5th ,FIAN will have its inaugural A.G.M the next day at the same venue where members of the Executive Committee will be elected.”